This invention relates to busway systems, and more particularly, to water resistant outdoor busway systems.
The use of electric power busway is described within U.S. Pat. No. 4,804,804 entitled "Thermally Efficient Power Busway System" for carrying high ampere current within an industrial electrical power distribution system. The busway is in the form of a plurality of copper current-carrying bars, one per each current phase and carrying an insulative coating to prevent inter-phasal transfer.
Electrical connection between separate sections of the power busway is achieved by means of busway joints consisting of copper plates separated by means of a plurality of fiber or glass-filled polyester spacers. Examples of such thermally-efficient busway joints are described within U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,842,533 and 4,950,841 both entitled "Thermally Efficient Splice Joint for Electrical Distribution Busway".
When such busway systems are exposed to the environment, the polyester spacers are of sufficient thickness to insure adequate electrical insulative properties in the presence of condensed moisture conditions. The thickness requirement for outdoor busway joints improves the electrical resistance properties of the spacers while, at the same time, reducing the thermal transport of the heat generated within the copper plates.
The purpose of this invention is to provide electrical busway joint connectors having both electrical insulative as well as thermally conductive properties not influenced by the presence of excessive moisture.